[1] In 1947, Dobson became assistant to House of Lords Library librarian Charles Travis Clay, who had been in the post since 1914.
Under Clay's guidance, Dobson compiled an edition of the Oxfordshire Protestation Returns 1641–1642, published in 1955, and organised the legal collections.
Dobson's main interest was in the acquisition of rare and historical volumes, and grew the library's collection of works from the reigns of Henry VIII through William and Mary.
He was described in The Times as: A bespectacled figure, with an air of gentle inquiry, Dobson always maintained the tradition that the Librarian should sit at a desk in the library rather than retreat to the office provided for his use.
He had a genuine kindness and was much liked by all who knew him — members and colleagues alike.He retired in 1977 as the need for drastic change became apparent, owing to technology advances and the growing numbers of life peers who had larger research demands than their hereditary counterparts.